INEC, NOA Strengthen Partnership on Voter Education Ahead of 2027 General Election

INEC, NOA Strengthen Partnership on Voter Education Ahead of 2027 General Election

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), has reaffirmed the need for stronger collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to enhance civic education, voter awareness and democratic participation ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Professor Amupitan stated this while receiving the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, and his delegation during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

He described the meeting as more than a routine courtesy call, saying it reflected the shared constitutional responsibility of both institutions to educate Nigerians and strengthen the country’s democratic culture.

According to the INEC Chairman, democracy cannot thrive on improved technology and efficient election management alone, stressing that citizens must be adequately informed and actively engaged in the electoral process.

“INEC cannot build a robust democracy in isolation. We can purchase the finest BVAS machines, optimise the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) and improve our logistics, but all these achievements mean little if citizens remain detached, cynical or uneducated about the power of their votes,” he said.

Professor Amupitan identified voter apathy, misinformation and inadequate understanding of the electoral process as major challenges requiring sustained collaboration between INEC and NOA.

He called for continuous, grassroots-driven voter education campaigns that extend beyond election periods and effectively reach young people, rural communities, traditional institutions and civil society organisations.

The INEC Chairman also noted that while recent elections recorded improvements in biometric voter accreditation, electronic result transmission and polling unit administration, they also highlighted the need for greater civic education, particularly among first-time and young voters.

Earlier, Issa-Onilu commended INEC for its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process, describing democracy as the foundation of the nation’s stability and development.

“Democracy is the principle and the metric upon which this country either survives or fails. The right of citizens to decide who will lead them is something we must protect and promote,” he said.

The NOA Director-General stressed that the country’s growing youth population makes continuous voter education increasingly important, noting that many citizens still lack sufficient knowledge of the electoral process.

He said NOA’s nationwide presence enables it to engage directly with traditional rulers, religious leaders, market associations, transport unions, civil society groups and other stakeholders at the grassroots.

Issa-Onilu added that the agency’s mandate extends beyond communicating government policies to promoting patriotism, national values and responsible citizenship.

He called for closer collaboration between INEC’s voter education department and NOA’s Civic Values and Democracy Education structures to improve voter participation, combat misinformation and strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.

INEC, NOA Strengthen Partnership on Voter Education Ahead of 2027 General Election